Atlanta, May 4th, 2015 – MAAP’s President and CEO Joshua D. Lorenz’s nomination helped Young People Matter win the 2014 Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award sponsored by MedAssets. The Atlanta-based non-profit founded by Simone Joye was announced the recipient of the 2014 award at MedAssets annual Healthcare Business Summit on April 9, 2015.
Young People Matter is the only 24-hour emergency hotline and shelter in metro Atlanta area for youth under age 18. The founder Simone Joye is a former CEO of Newark, New Jersey’s Boys & Girls Club, a newspaper journalist and not-for-profit consultant who also mentored girls with low self-esteem at an Atlanta middle school. There, Joye met a group of sexually exploited girls who confided in her. This encounter led her to form YPM and support the city’s at-risk youth.
“There is no explanation for a child sleeping on the sidewalk in America,” said Joye. “These children need a place to turn, and they need hope and healing. It is our goal at Young People Matter to not only make sure no child is forced to sleep on the streets in Atlanta, but to also work to alleviate the problems of runaway, homeless and street youth.”
It was this passion and commitment that made Lorenz nominate Young People Matter for the award sponsored by his employer, MedAssets. “In October my company put out feelers asking for nominations for the humanitarian award,” Lorenz said. “I immediately decided I was going to nominate Young People Matter because I so strongly believe in their cause.”
This award for Young People Matters is also a recognition of the benefits of networking and the growing reach of MAAP. MAAP started partnering with Young People Matters after their attendance at MAAP’s first Non Profit Showcase in 2013. Since then, connections made through MAAP has helped YPM tremendously.
The partnership between MAAP and YPM has been strengthened via Peter Engelmaier who serves on both organizations Board of Directors and often represents YPM at MAAP events. Through his connections with MAAP, Engelmaier has been able to help YPM secure a new refrigerator and a washer and dryer set from MAAP members. Engelmaier also attended the final Presentation in front of MedAssets with Simone as the sole Board representative. “Merging two of my passions: the LGBTA community and the saving of children satisfies my deep desire to give back to the Atlanta community,” Engelmaier said. “I could not be prouder of my friend, Josh, for his generous spirit in nominating YPM for this award and the life changing work of Simone Joye.”
Joye has informed Lorenz that the funding from the 2014 Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award will allow Young People Matter to help 1000 homeless children this year.
About MAAP
Founded in May 1992 by 15 people, MAAP’s mission is individual and professional development through networking, relationship-building and education for Atlanta’s LGBT professionals and our allies. MAAP currently has a connection network of more than 2,000 professionals.
The MAAP logo can be downloaded at: https://maapatl.org/logo.
About Young People Matter
Young People Matter, founded in 2007, is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to ensuring that no child is forced to sleep on the streets in Atlanta. The organization works to alleviate the problems of runaway, homeless and street youth; reunites children, whenever feasible, with their parents and families; encourages the resolution of inter-family problems through counseling and other services; works toward strengthening family relationships and encouraging stable living conditions for children; and helps youth decide upon a future course of action. Help Young People Matter ensure that no child sleeps on the streets of Atlanta. For more information visit www.ypmatlanta.org.
About the Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award
The Norman Borlaug Humanitarian Award honors the memory of an innovative, inspirational spirit and a lifetime humanitarian. This humanitarian award, presented annually by MedAssets, recognizes an equally ambitious desire and determination of an individual(s) to address unmet needs in the world by helping communities and those less fortunate. The award is named for Dr. Borlaug who dedicated his life’s work to finding ways to end famine and feed the world’s hungry. He is one of six people to have won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.
About MedAssets
MedAssets (NASDAQ: MDAS) is a healthcare performance improvement company focused on helping providers realize financial and operational gains so that they can sustainably serve the needs of their community. Approximately 4,500 hospitals and 123,000 non-acute healthcare providers currently use the company’s evidence-based solutions, best practice processes and analytics to help reduce the total cost of care, enhance operational efficiency, align clinical delivery, and improve revenue performance across the care continuum. For more information, please visit www.medassets.com.
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